₦airaland Forum

Maybe it was the Sambisa Forest Effect that galvanised this country’s security agencies. In the last fortnight, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps [NSCDC], Nigeria Police, Nigeria Customs Service [NCS], Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] and Department of State Services [DSS] all carried out six singular security sweeps, SSSS. Together, these operations made this country safer; they improved citizens’ confidence in the security agencies; they boosted the Buhari administration’s boasting power; and they also boosted Nigeria’s standing as a laughing stock in the comity of nations, all at the same time.

Two weeks ago Nigeria Customs Service scored its biggest public relations coup in a long time when its secret agents caught a truck at Mile 2 area of Lagos with 661 pump action rifles hidden in it. The rifles were hidden among steel doors in a 40ft container imported from China. Customs’ mufti-clad Comptroller General Colonel Hameed Ali said conniving Customs officers had allowed the container to leave the port but that undercover Customs agents went after it. The goods importer Oscan Okafor, the clearing agent Mahmud Hassan and Sadique Mustapha, the man accompanying the goods to their destination, were all apprehended while the two Customs officers declared wanted gave themselves up.

It was a narrow escape for Nigeria. Rifles are on the absolute import prohibition list but they still flood this country like the Ogunpa River. I was personally amazed that those shining guns came from China. All countries control trade in weapons made in their countries and one would think that nothing enters or leaves China without the Communist Party’s approval. We can only guess where those guns were destined for. Their possible customers in Nigeria range from armed robbers to kidnappers to herdsmen to communal warriors to insurgents to pipeline vandals to aspiring secessionists. Hundreds of lives would have been saved by that seizure.

Ten days ago, another singular security sweep was executed, this time by the Nigeria Police. Seventeen persons caught in the act of southern Kaduna violence were paraded at Force Headquarters, Abuja. Many newspapers rushed to say that the police had caught “killer herdsmen.” Yet, the roll call of the paraded men showed that killing in southern Kaduna is strictly bi-communal. The apprehended killers belonged to both sides of the communal divide. One of the apprehended men, Paul, an indigene of Kaninkon in Jema’a local government, told newsmen, “I sold rifles to most of the arrested persons here. I was arrested before but I repented. When the police came to my house, I admitted that I sold weapons and I took them to the house of the people that bought the weapons from me. I bought the weapons from a dealer in Jos.” Now at last the police have a very good lead into the southern Kaduna mayhem.

On Tuesday last week, there was another singular security sweep when men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps [NSCDC] in Maiduguri intercepted two young women who were about to suicide-bomb motorists at the NNPC mega station on Damboa road. NSCDC said one bomber panicked and threw away her bomb while the other was shot in the leg before she could explode the bomb. The captured bomber, a confused and bewildered looking 18-year old named Amina, said Boko Haram abducted her from Madagali two years ago, married her off to an Amir and then brought her from Damboa area after a three day ride on a motorcycle.

Nigerian newsmen however misunderstood what Amina said next. She said Boko Haram gave her N200 for her food and promised her that she would go straight to paradise upon blowing herself up. Several newspapers said she was enticed with N200 to do the suicide bombing. That is not correct; no one commits suicide because of money. The real puzzle is how any man can give you a guaranteed ticket to paradise and why he will not utilise the ticket himself, if he is so sure. For NSCDC, that episode was its biggest pr turn around since Oga at the Top.

The same day, Nigeria Police tried to upstage NSCDC’s pr coup. At an elaborate ceremony at Force Headquarters, chairman of its Special Joint Investigative Panel DCP Damian Okoro unveiled a pile of 111 million naira notes that he said was retrieved from 23 INEC officials in Rivers State. It was the largest heap of naira notes publicly displayed in Nigeria since 2002 when N3million was placed on the Speaker’s table during a House of Representatives plenary. Last week, a beaming Inspector General Ibrahim Kpotun Idris said the haul was part of a N360 million bribe that Governor Nyesom Wike gave to INEC officials to rig last December 10’s legislative polls in Rivers State. Police said three Senior Electoral Officers, who were at the briefing, admitted to receiving the money directly from Governor Wike.

Rivers State’s Commissioner for Information Dr Tam George however dismissed the charge as “shameful, defamatory and reckless in the extreme.” Trouble is, given the kind of do-or-die politics now associated with Rivers State, Nigerians were not surprised that this could happen. The only wonder is that police said nothing about the high likelihood that APC chieftains in Rivers did some bribery as well.

The mother of all singular security sweeps however took place last Thursday when EFCC agents raided a ramshackle looking house in Sabon Tasha ghetto of Kaduna city and found 9.8 million US dollars and 74,000 Pounds Sterling stashed away in a freezer. The money belonged to Mr. Andrew Yakubu, former Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. Yakubu told EFCC that the money was a gift, which is possible, even if the gift giver was probably repaying for an irregular favour. Official NNPC portraits of him in sharply pressed tuxedo suits showed Yakubu to be a very urbane oil technocrat. Why did he stash dollars in a fridge like a rural grain merchant? It is possible that Andrew Yakubu studied some books about the operational philosophy of terrorists in the 1970; “hide things where no one expects to see them.” Who will expect to find crisp dollar notes in Sabon Tasha, a place so hard up in this recession that even small denomination naira notes are hard to come by?

Two singular security sweeps carried out by the Department of State Services [DSS] however turned out to be a shattering anti-climax. Since 2015 DSS had been the most overzealous security agency in Nigeria. Last year its men clambered up the walls of Supreme Court judges’ houses in the middle of the night in order to collect evidence of bribery. Yet, late last month when DSS hauled in Apostle Johnson Suleman of the Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide over the viral video in which he urged his church’s members to kill any herdsman seen in their premises, the encounter lasted all of thirty minutes. Similarly, when former Delta State governor James Ibori returned to Nigeria last weekend after doing time in a British jail for money laundering, DSS also hauled him in but he soon exited its doors, smiling broadly and proceeded to a warm reception at Oghara. The once overzealous DSS appears to have lost its fangs.

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/monday-column/six-singular-security-sweeps/184987.html

rose54321:
Let me counter this, despite the known state of the economy the following promises were made:

In this regards, a famous social commentator, Ike Chidolue, on Saturday, June 27, went on his Facebook page to post 81 campaign promises made by Buhari.

Below are the campaign promises as posted by Chidolue:

1. Public declaration of assets and liabilities

2. State and community policing

3. Ban on all government officials from seeking medical care abroad

4. Implementation of the National Gender Policy, including 35% of appointive positions for women

5. Revival of Ajaokuta steel company

6. Generation, transmission and distribution of at least 20,000 MW of electricity within four years and increasing to 50,000 MW with a view to achieving 24/7 uninterrupted power supply within 10 years.

7. Empowerment scheme to employ 740,000 graduates across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

8. Establishment of a free-tuition and scholarship scheme for pupils who have shown exceptional aptitude in science subjects at O/Levels to study ICT-related courses.

9. 720,000 jobs by the 36 states in the federation yearly (20,000 per state).

10. Three million Jobs per year

11. To embark on vocational training, entrepreneurial and skills acquisition schemes for graduates along with the creation of a Small Business Loan Guarantee Scheme to create at least 5 million new jobs by 2019.

12. Churches and Mosques would not pay taxes under national laws, but if they engage in businesses, the businesses would pay tax.

13. Provision of allowances to the discharged but unemployed Youth Corps members for Twelve (12) months while in the skills and entrepreneurial development programme

14. Making the economy one of the fastest-growing emerging economies in the world with a real GDP growth averaging 10% annually.

15. Creation of a Social Welfare Programme of at least fivethousand naira (N5000) that will cater for the 25 million poorest and most vulnerable citizens upon the demonstration of children’s enrollment in school and evidence of immunisation to help promote family stability

16. Recruitment and training of at least 100,000 officers into the Nigerian police force and establish a Federal Anti-terrorism Agency.

17. One free meal (to include fruits) daily, for public primary school pupils

18. Building an airport in Ekiti State

19. Eradication of state of origin, replacing that with state of residence to ensure Nigerians are Nigerians first before anything else.

20. Establishment of crime squad to combat terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery, militants, ethno-religious and communal clashes nationwide

21. Working with the National Assembly towards the immediate enactment of a Whistle Blower Act

22. Economic stability for the ECOWAS nations and maintaining a strong, close and frank relationship with West Africa, South Africa, UK, USA, Canada, and other African countries

23. Establishing a conflict resolution commission to help prevent, mitigate and resolve civil conflicts within the polity.

If you are current you'll know that most of these things you listed have been or are being implemented despite the comatose state of the economy.

So what exactly does it do, cleanse the lungs?

HEADLINES BEFORE THE 2015 ELECTIONS

"Over 20 billion dollars unremitted to the federation account, and if nothing is done by 2015 upward, Nigeria will know what economic crisis is"
~ Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

"Whoever wins 2015 will NEVER find it easy to govern. Over 30 trillion is mismanaged, unaccounted for or missing under Jonathan."
~ Prof Charles Soludo

"Our reserve is depleted and our savings are squandered. Our nation is in trouble."
~ Dr Oby Ezekwesili.

"For seven months, NNPC did not remit any money into federation account. When I called as a sitting governor and major oil producing state, Diezani Alison Madueke refused to pick my calls."
~ Godswill Akpabio

"I told them to save ahead of eventualities, but Jonathan had no political will to do so and this is the reason why we are in crisis, because we squandered our boom."
~ Okonjo Iweala

"Okonjo-Iweala, Sanusi urged us to save but we state governors refused to save for the unseen future during the tenure of Goodluck Jonathan, despite warning from economic experts."
~ Peter Obi - Anambra Gov

"Jonathan is a blessed ATM machine that doesn't have secret pin number"
~ Bala Mohammed -FCT Minister
(Courtesy Wole Arisekola)

"Misinformation That Continues To Poison Our Minds"

By Tochukwu Ezukanma

The enduring grip of historical falsehoods on Igbo minds continues to poison both Igbo culture and psyche.

My recent article, the Messages of Ahiara, an incisive piece buttressed with logic and reason, which refuted some popular but erroneous notions of tribalism and secession in Nigeria, drew a lot of hostile responses from some of my readers. They lobbed curses and hauled invectives at me. However, to me, it was all exhilarating. I relish rejoinders to my writings, be them abusive or appreciative.

One of my milder critics accused me of demonstrated dislike for Biafra and its leadership. Yes, I detest the Biafra leadership because, in its recklessness, arrogance and despotism, it brought about the death of hundreds of thousands at the glory of their youth and the starvation to death of more than one million hapless and blameless men, women and children. It dismantled the Igbo power structure, painstakingly put together over decades by the likes of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, and Michael Okpara, and set the Igbo back by at least 100 years. Why would any Igbo not despise a leadership that brought so much, avoidable, suffering, pain and sorrow to the Igbo?

Some of my detractors argued that secession was a necessary response to the mass-murder of the Igbo in northern Nigeria. Undoubtedly, that orchestrated slaughter of the innocent for no offense of theirs but their ethnicity was unconscionable. However, it would be selective amnesia to forget that the July 29th 1966 coup and the attendant anti-Igbo riots in the North did not sprout out of a void. They were in reprisal for an earlier coup in January 1966 in which an Igbo dominated group of army officers murdered the most important Hausa/Fulani political and military leaders (Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Belewa and Zakari Miamalari) without killing any Igbo leader. And following the coup, the Igbo in the North became too celebrative; dancing and singing to a Rex Lawson song and telling their Hausa neighbors that the bleating of a goat in the song was Ahmadu Bello (the most important Hausa/Fulani leader) howling like a goat as he was being killed by Major Nzeogwu. It was the discriminatory killings and gratuitous mockery of the memory of their most important leader, amongst other reasons, that set the stage for the July 1966 anti-Igbo coup and the attendant anti-Igbo riots.

After the killings in the January and July coups and that unsurpassed butchery of Igbo civilians in northern Nigeria, there was a desperate need for peace in the country. In search of peace, the regional governors, David Ejoor, Usman Katsina, Robert Adebayo and Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, and the Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, met at Aburi in Ghana, where they agreed on and signed the Aburi Accord. The most significant aspect of the accord was constitutional: the reduction of the powers of the federal government by devolution of additional powers to regional governments. Long ago, an Igbo professor of political science at Howard University in Washington, DC told me that Yakubu Gowon implemented the Aburi Accord. To me, his statement was not only unbelievable but sacrilegious. I lost my temper at what I thought was historical revisionism taken to a nauseating extreme. The elderly professor must have understood my problem. I was suffering from a hangover of the Biafran propaganda. I was under the stupefying hold of the lies we were fed in Biafra. For he stated, “don’t worry, with time, in the course of your reading and research, you will find out that Gowon implemented the Aburi Accord”.

Years later, I found out that Gowon implemented the Aburi Accord. In his book, Power Sharing in Nigerian Federation, Chukwuemeka Nwokedi wrote that, “Apart from minor adjustments to the Aburi Accord, in other to still retain the corporate nature of Nigeria”, Gowon implemented the Aburi Accord with Decree 8; “and the regions acquired more powers than they have ever had”. That was months before the continued wrangling between Ojukwu and Gowon led to the creation of states. But did Ojukwu not declare Biafra and we marched out to war on the mantra, “On Aburi We Stand”. According to other writers, the minor adjustments Gowon made to the accord was the cancelation of two articles of the accord, which stated that any region can secede from Nigeria at will, and that the federal government can, on no account, impose a state of emergency on any region. Ojukwu’s advisers urged him to accept Decree 8 because Gowon had “gone more than far enough”. He refused.

The removal of the two articles of the accord did not in any way imperil the lives and property of the Igbo and other peoples of Eastern Region. Ojukwu’s squabbling, against the advice of his advisers, over the two articles was solely motivated by personal ambition. Following Ojukwu’s declaration of Biafra, the war inevitably started. As it raged on, it was obvious that a negotiated settlement to the war would be most advantageous to the Igbo. Ojukwu’s obsession with maintaining himself in power stalled the peace talks that would have extracted for the Igbo a number of concessions from the federal government. Despite the enormous toll of the war, especially, on human lives, he kept protecting his position and power, until it became untenable. And, as Biafra collapsed, he ran away; Biafra surrendered unconditionally.

A litany of the falsehood we were fed in Biafra is beyond the scope of this article. David Klinghoffer was right when he wrote that, “Widespread misinformation poisons a culture”. The enduring grip of these falsehoods on Igbo minds continues to poison both Igbo culture and psyche. They make us paranoid – we feel surrounded by enemies committed to our destruction, and in our suspicion of these “enemies” we see ulterior motives in every act, no matter how well-intended and benign, by other Nigerians. In addition, they make us feel like innocent victims of the evil devices of an alliance of the other Nigerian ethnic groups. And like perennial victims we refuse to take responsibilities for our actions; we find psychological refuge in blaming others, the Yoruba, Hausa/Fulani, etc, for our problems.

Blaming others for your problems is gratifying but destructive; it reinforces the feeling of victimhood. The mindset that sustains a feeling of victimhood is antithetical to victory. Therefore, a victim remains a loser until he changes his mindset. For our own good, the Igbo need to change their attitude towards Nigeria and the other peoples of Nigeria. This demands rising above the misinformation of the Biafran propaganda by embracing some incontrovertible historical facts. This will enable us to realize that our problems stemmed not from the hatred and wicked machination of the Hausa, Yoruba and other ethnic groups of Nigeria, but from repeated political blunders of Igbo leaders, especially, Chukwuemeka Ojukwu.

Otherwise, our political fortune, clout and relevance will continue to decline. It has declined to a point, where a proud and resourceful people that, in their triumphalism, once boasted of dominating not only Nigeria but the whole of Africa now whimper and snivel over trivialities like a disconsolate old widow.


Tochukwu Ezukanma writes from Lagos, Nigeria and can be reached at maciln18@yahoo.com.

Apart from spreading the word of God, some pastors live lifestyles like the rich and famous folks they are.

With massive followership, they are supposed to preach wordis of modest living. But many pastors across the world, and indeed Nigeria, are living large. Many of them own luxurious property in choice locations around the country. However, a number of them also engage in philanthropic activities as well.

Bishop David Oyedepo is the Founder and General Overseer of the Living Faith Worldwide, popularly known as “Winners Chapel”. He is regarded by many as one of the richest pastors, not only in Nigeria, but in Africa. His church has to its credit, the building of the single largest worship centre in Africa, known as Faith Tabernacle in Otta, Ogun State. The 50,000 seat centre is also its international headquarters. The church also has two universities, Covenant University in Otta and Landmark University in Omu Aran in Kwara State.

Oyedepo’s church owns several businesses, as well, and according to a Forbes Magazine, an estimated net worth of US$150 million.

Then there’s Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, simply called Pastor Chris by his admirers. He also towers above when it comes to wealthy pastors. The aforementioned Forbes report estimated his worth to be between $30 million and $50 million. His church, better-known as Christ Embassy International, is also one that enjoys a huge following, especially among Nigerian youths.

Well-known for his televangelism, Oyakhilome’s church branches and faithful cut across the globe.

Pastor Chris’s interests cut across publishing, TV, record labels and more. His Loveworld TV Network is reputed to be the first Christian TV network to broadcast from Africa to the rest of the world on a 24-hour basis.

Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo is the Senior Pastor of Kingsway International Christian Centre, (KICC) London. He is another pastor Nigerians have associated with wealth for many years. He was reputed to have launched a breakthrough when in 1992, Foursquare Gospel Church asked him to establish the London branch. He was said to have used the opportunity to kick-start his own ministry.

Ashimolowo’s assets, chiefly in media and publishing, rank him among the A-list pastors.

Pastor Temitope Balogun Joshua, the Leader and Founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations, (SCOAN), is another prominent clergyman whom many believe is super-rich. He is simply referred to as T.B Joshua. He is said to have assets in various sectors, and he enjoys close friendships with numerous African presidents, some of whom have paid him courtesy calls at his church headquarters in Ikotun, Lagos.

Highly revered among his numerous faithful, Joshua, through his many philanthropic gestures has often proved that he has more than enough to give, which many say is unprecedented. To his credit is the widely celebrated cable TV channel, Emmanuel TV which enjoys wide viewership across the globe.

Joshua has reportedly purchased a $60 million Gulfstream G550 aircraft in April 2015. But according to an online publication, ‘TB Joshua Watch: A comprehensive resource on TB Joshua and SCOAN’, “We cannot be categorized among the wealthiest in Nigeria because what money we receive is not accumulated but rather given out to those who need it most. There is not enough to keep for tomorrow. As it comes, we give it to the needy.”

Pastor Chris Okotie, of the household of God Church[/b], Oregun, Ikeja was once known as a celebrated pop star in the 1980’s. Aside from presiding over a church that sits atop a wide expanse of land, the pastor has also in the past contested to be president. Though he failed in all of his attempts, the fact that he single-handedly raised and nurtured a political platform - the Fresh Party and campaigned across the country, has fueled the notion that he is a wealthy clergyman. Also, his wealth also reflects in his style. He is a lover of exotic automobiles and believed to own many. He is a lover of exotic automobiles and believed to own many. He also maintains a sizeable motorcade with many security aides.

Apostle Tom Samson, of Christ Royal Family International Church (CRFIC) in Iyesi-Ota, a developing community in Ota town, Ogun State, has established interests that appear a mix of evangelism and business, as he is also the Chief Executive Officer of Royal City Medical Centre, Royal City Water Factory and Royal City Printing Press. The icing on the cake of his many educational institutions. When he celebrated his 50th birthday, he claimed that some of his followers whom God had blessed through him had deemed it fit to give him gifts.

Samson, born on December 13, 1965, in Ile-Ife, Osun State, is actually an indigene of Ogbagu-Ogume in the Ndokwa Local Government Area of Delta State. He began to gather fame in Lagos State in the 1990s as a Pentecostal warrior organising his Reigning in Life conferences, donned in army green fatigues, “fighting witches and wizards for troubled souls”.

Lazarus Muoka of The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement commands, every Sunday, long lines of buses, parked on the shoulders of the Oshodi-Mile 2 Expressway, between Ilasamaja and Ijesha bus stops in Lagos. The buses bear the inscription ‘The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement’, a church founded and owned by Muoka. From its humble beginning at Ilasamaja, Lord’s Chosen, as is widely known, has grown.

Muoka’s influence and wealth have soared. Every Sunday, and even at special programmes that the church organises during the week, thousands of worshippers throng the centre. His congregation comprises largely the low and middle income earners, who proudly wear yellow reflective jackets on which the Lord’s Chosen name is written. A former member of the church, John Nwosu, who resides on Abiodun Street, Shomolu, told Daily Trust that members buy the jacket for N5000 each.

Pastor Joseph Agboli of Victorious Army Church on Acme Road, Ogba, in Lagos is where, along with his wife Blessing, superintend a large congregation every Sunday and regularly organise different types of programmes during the week. Like most of their Pentecostal colleagues, Pastors Joseph and Blessing are very flashy dressers. In church circles today in Lagos, Blessing is rated very highly. They are believed to have investments in lucrative sectors.

Apostle Wole Oladiyun is of Living Spring Apostolic Ministry located in the Omole, Ojodu-Berger area of Lagos. The church started 16 years ago and has grown phenomenally. In 2012, Oladiyun commissioned a general hospital he said cost N500 million to complete. Every Wednesday morning, when the church holds its mid-week programme, there is always traffic gridlock, caused by members who park on the roadside.

Dr. Olukoya heads the Mountain of Fire and Miracles ministry. The church began in a rented hall on Old Yaba road, Ebute-Meta, Lagos, in the early 1990s, but has grown big with branches across Nigeria and abroad. It is worth billions of naira in assets. Its style of preaching hinges on fiery prayers of death against perceived enemies. Unlike many rich pastors, he has remained unassuming and has not been linked with the acquisition of luxury items. The church owns a tertiary institution, the Mountain Top University, and a football club, MFM FC, which its Chairman, Godwin Enakhena, a sports journalist, has always explained was established to provide worthwhile engagements for youths with football talents.

Prophet Isa El-Buba, founder and President of Evangelical Bible Outreach Ministry International (EBOMI), located in Jos, Plateau State, is a motivational preacher, commanding an ever growing congregation at a massive 11-storey Prayer Temple said to be worth billions of naira, and has some of Jos’ wealthiest and most prominent politicians as worshippers. The former Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, is a senior pastor of EBOMI.
With a collection of personalities working with him, the Borno State-born Prophet El-Buba from a Muslim family is believed to be the most prominent man of God in Jos.

Bishop Jonas Katung, is founder of Maranatha Covenant Ministries International, located along Miango Junction-Low Cost Road. He is a popular preacher around much of Northern Nigeria, with overseas evangelical destinations, described his lifestyle as “Christ-like” in humility. The bishop said evangelism in Jos should not be assessed by the same standards as southern parts of the country where there is wealth to fund a lifestyle of luxury for pastors, insisting that Jos, where missionaries settled early is a place for winning souls. He said as a certified mechanical engineer, he has a licensed company from where he is making a living, having decided not to go on salary from evangelism.

Apostle Chinyere Chibuzor is the General Overseer of Omega Power Ministry, located at Ngbudu-Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. Personalities such as Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and business mogul, Ifeanyi Uba, have visited the church.

A prominent super-rich Nigerian businessman, in a testimony, said the pastor’s prayer healed him of a life threatening heart disease and he later donated N120 million to the church.

Apostle Chibuzor is believed to own a fleet of exotic cars. He runs a televangelism programme drawing thousands of followers and recently moved into a multi-million naira home located at the highbrow GRA part of Port Harcourt. He drives himself, but moves with a team of mobile policemen. He is also a philanthropist and his church runs a free school where indigent students are offered scholarships from nursery to secondary levels.

Apostle Chibuzor is said to be super-rich but believes that church money belongs to its members. He recently launched an attack on some pastors he accused of using church money to better the lots of their families while their members are living in abject poverty.

Brother Joshua Iginla, Senior Pastor of Champions Royal Assembly in Kubwa, Abuja, continues to be a media darling. The soft-spoken clergyman is not new to Abuja residents, and is well-known across the country. The lifestyle of the Ekiti State-born but Jos-raised pastor shows humility, contrasting with expensive gifts he doles out - sometimes to Nollywood stars - including exotic cars he donated in 2016. He denounced the title of Pastor or Prophet, preferring to be called a Brother.

Brother Iginla’s wealth comes from his chain of businesses including authorship of over 50 books and investment in automobiles. In 2016, he gave out 32 luxury cars and millions of naira. His church, an 80,000 capacity multimillion naira project which he said he started with about N250, 000 has construction work ongoing at the building called City of Wonders. “The church is unarguably one of Nigeria’s fastest growing. Always filled and attended by a mix of the low, high and mighty, is perhaps Abuja’s most talked about religious centre,” a post on his ministry’s Facebook page read.

Daily Trust made several attempts to speak with members of some of the churches but most of them declined, citing reverence they have for the pastors. However, those who spoke on condition of anonymity differed on the lifestyles of their church leaders.

According to a respondent who simply identified himself as Mathew, he is unconcerned about whether or not his pastor lives a lavish life because his offerings and tithes were borne out of his genuine intention to give. “I think I am giving my offering for God. I don’t care how it is spent or who it is spent on. Again don’t forget that some of these pastors toiled hard to establish these churches. From humble beginnings, they have worked tirelessly to build the churches and so on. I think we should be careful what we say so that we don’t incur the wrath of God.”

Another anonymous respondent said, “I think pastors have a responsibility to change the perception that people have about churches being business ventures. Once people have inculcated that view, it is quite difficult to do any serious evangelism upon which church is set aside. They preach prosperity rather than salvation.”

Meanwhile, a Lagos-based lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Ebun Adegboruwa, has reiterated the need for church proprietors and leaders to live a life of moderation, which he described as a balance between opulence and poverty.

Adegboruwa, who is also a pastor, said it is important to emphasise that the desire of every Christian must be to live Christ-like. “We know that Christ represents modesty. He lived a life that was not ostentatious and as pastors, we are expected to live lives that would not constitute distractions to the congregation. I think pastors should live modestly, especially when they bear in mind that a larger percentage of their members are poor,” he said.

Adegboruwa said it is not to mean that pastors should live in wretchedness, but they should avoid flamboyance. “I suggest financial accountability. I suggest transparency in the running of churches.”

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/lifestyles-of-rich-famous-nigerian-pastors/183804.html

If 2face thinks he has something to offer then let him come on live TV and proffer better alternatives and solutions to our challenges. In that way he may convince more to join him.
But by communicating through articles and posts written by others does not portray him as intelligent enough to do what he is planning to do.

Where are the weapons? This story is not reliable as the source is a party to the crisis.

The Emirati foreign minister has defended US President Donald Trump's decision to ban nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries from traveling to the United States, saying the measure is not anti-Islam.

"The United States has taken a decision that is within the American sovereign decision," Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said at a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

The Emirati foreign minister said the ban, which has led to protests inside the US and sparked huge international criticism from several countries, including Europe’s powerful states as well as Muslim nations, was an internal affair.

It is “wrong to say” that the decision is “directed against a particular religion,” said the Emirati official, whose country is a close ally of the US.

On Friday, the new US president ordered a 90-day ban on the entry of citizens of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The measure also suspended entry of all refugees for 120 days and barred Syrian refugees indefinitely.

http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2017/02/01/508741/UAE-US-Trump-ban-Iran-Muslims

CHOPUP411:
No case to answer that are from the north

The arms were imported by Okafor.

Na Okafor import the arms.... For IPOB.

fuckingAyaya:
u dey fear ?

Who wouldn't? These are not toys but arms and are meant to kill.

ehie:
THEY ARRESTED HIM FOR SHOW, IS IT NOT THE SAME CUSTOMS OF TEH PLASTIC RICE, THE GUY PROBABLY HAD HIS PAPER CORRECT,THEY JUST WANT TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE WORKING"YEYE DEY SMELL"

Which paper? Have you ever heard of any licence issued to any private person to conceal and import arms into any country.
The importer is Okafor and the business is illegal and satanic. He may be importing for IPOB. We know them and what they can do.

Big lie. It's cheap relevant-seeking social media outfits like this that generate unnecessary tension in the country. How can somebody commit such an offense that has gone viral be released just like that? Mtsheew!

Apostle Suleman has succeeded. That's how all it started. The fulani don't have mouthpieces that's why injustices against them go unreported.
But when they come for revenge....

What's the proof that he wasn't killed in a robbery operation?

bennybaba:
This is madness... .when their preferred candidate was in power they didn't bring up this useless proposal...they should stop behaving like some people in Nigeria who threatens hell when things don't go their way... .America will always be stronger together.

So will Nigeria.

California has announced a proposal, called “Calexit” that would establish it as a separate nation from the U.S., officials have said.

The proposal for California to secede from the U.S. was submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office on Thursday, according to a report.

The proposed “Calexit” initiative was a name borrowed from the UK’s “Brexit” departure from the EU.

“Calexit” would ask voters to repeal part of the state constitution that declares California an inseparable part of the U.S.

A recent poll found that one in three California residents would support a possible secession from the U.S. due to their opposition to President Donald Trump, according to the proposal.

No mention has been made of the president in the proposal.

If the proposal qualifies for the ballot and is approved by voters, it could be a step to a future vote on whether the state would break away from the rest of the nation.

Secretary of State Alex Padilla said the group behind the proposal, ‘Yes California Independence Campaign’, was cleared to begin attempting to collect nearly 600,000 voter signatures needed to place the plan on the ballot.

“In our view, the United States of America represents so many things that conflict with Californian values.

“And our continued statehood means California will continue subsidising the other states to our own detriment, and to the detriment of our children,” the Yes California Independence Campaign’s website says. (NAN)

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/california-announces-proposal-to-exit-u-s/182966.html

Built2last:
Why will a University in a secular state ban freedom of Religion in school and publish their bias for all to see.

I make bold to ask, Is Nigeria an Islamic State?

Before you answer? Note. Every Federal government agency in Abuja has an original in-built mosque from inception. Name them-CBN, SEC, FIRS, University of Abuja, PTDF, FCDA, Federal Secretariat etc.

Aso Rock villa was modelled After Moroccan kings palace. With 3 standard mosques.

OBJ built a chapel in 2004 and All hell was almost let loose.

Now a FEDERAL university built with Tax payers money issues a memo making it obvious

That's misleading. There's no where in the letter where Christianity is mentioned. If they exist in the university then let them go and register with the school authorities and nobody will stop them.

Going by opinions and comments of Nigerians over the Gambia political dilemma it seemed we are unanimously ok with tha use of force to oust Jammeh. Despite the possible lost of lives, destruction of infrastructure and livelihoods, hunger, crime and disease that an invasion of Gambia by superior foreign forces could cause we don't seem to give a damn. Is it because we so love democracy or that we see the Gambia as a push over?
Had it been former President Jonathan had refused to hand over to Buhari after loosing the election would we have welcomed a military invasion of Nigeria by ECOWAS, African Union or United Nations forces?
When late MKO Abiola was denied his mandate by the military junta under IBB we didn't call for war. Would we have done so now if the situation repeats itself? .
Please what's your candid take on this?

The media are neither sacrosanct nor are they infallible.

babz007:
This list was compiled after a long project research carried out by some experts to ascertain the most read books in the world. Note however, that the list only shows the number of books printed and sold but did not take into account multiple readings of the same book.
#1. The Holy Bible.
By Various Authors.
3.9 Billion Copies.
With 3.9 Billion Copies printed and sold, the Holy Bible remains the most read book in the world. It is the account of God’s action in the world and his purpose with all creation. The writing of the Bible was accomplished over sixteen centuries and is a quite amazing collection of sixty six books containing the messages of God.
#2. Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-tung
By Mao Tse-Tung.
820 Million Copies.
The Quotations from the works of Mao Tse-tung, or as it was commonly called,the ‘little red book’ of Mao Tse-tung, was a personal explanation to the people of China on the ideology of the Chinese Communist Party.
#3. Harry Porter
By J.K Rowling.
400 Million Copies.
The Harry Potter books are a fantasy series of seven novels by British writer J. K. Rowling with 400 Million Copies sold. The majority of it have been made into action packed movies. Children and adults alike have been fascinated by this fiction character and cannot get enough of the young hero’s adventures.
#4. Lord Of The Rings
By J.R.R Tolkien.
103 Million Copies.
The Lord of the Rings is an epic fantasy story written by the philologist J. R. R. Tolkien. The novel started out as a sequel to his earlier, far less complex children’s fantasy story The Hobbit, but evolved into a much larger work. The Lord of the Rings has been made into a film trilogy that consists of three live action fantasy epic films; The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King.
#5. The Alchemist
By Paulo Coelho.
65 Million Copies.
The Alchemist was published in 1987 and became a Brazilian bestseller, it has gone on to sell 65 million copies world-wide, becoming one of the best selling books in history. The Alchemist has been translated into more than 67 languages, winning the Guinness World Record for most translated book by a living author. Paulo Coelho is not only one of the most widely read, but also one of the most influential authors writing today.
#6. The Da Vinci Code
By Dan Brown.
57 Million Copies
The Da Vinci Code is a mystery fiction novel written by American author Dan Brown. The story follows the investigations of Robert Langdon after a murder in the Louvre Museum in Paris. He discovers an intriguing possibility that Jesus Christ may have been married to Mary Magdalene and fathered a child with her. The Da Vinci Code has been made into a movie starring Tom Hanks.
#7. Twilight – The Saga
By Stephenie Meyer.
43 Million Copies.
Twilight is the first book in an extremely popular young adult novel series written by Stephenie Meyer. The story is about a young girl who falls in love with a vampire. This is a saga that is full of romance and action.
#8. Gone With the Wind
By Margaret Mitchell.
33 Million Copies.
Gone With the Wind, a romantic drama by Margaret Mitchell. It is set in Georgia during the American Civil War and follows the life of Scarlett O’Hara, the daughter of an Irish immigrant plantation owner. The novel won the coveted Pulitzer Prize and was adapted into a film of the same name that won an Academy Award.
#9. Think and Grow Rich
By Napoleon Hill.
30 Million Copies.
Think and Grow Rich is a motivational book written by Napoleon Hill. It is a personal development and self improvement novel that was inspired by a suggestion that he received from the Scottish-American billionaire Andrew Carnegie.
#10. Diary of Anne Frank
By Anne Frank.
27 Million Copies.
The Diary of a Young Girl is the English version book that is based on the writings from a diary, which was written by Anne Frank while she was in hiding for two years with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. The book is now considered one of the key texts of the twentieth century.
 

Lies. Do you care to find out how many copies of the Holy Quran are in this world and how often is it read? Your list is not well thought out.

They walk out on him.... And send their boys to blow pipeline?

Foot soldiers! Let them bomb more and we don't give a hoot. Their sponsors shall be disappointed as Naija is waxing stronger. Foolish people!

chrisxxx:
It baffles me how these set of unaddressed people carry out this terror unchecked with reckless abandonment.
Do they hypnotise the locals such that they kill them like tethered goats? I wonder how some persons can just invade a community killing with no collateral victims!
There are more explanations needed from people of Southern Kaduna if help must come from across the Niger.

We know who wrote the fake letter. IPOB!

I bet a common enemy fabricated this poorly written letter to cause trouble in the state. Enemies of Nigeria from within Nigeria! We know them!
Miyetti Allah is a registered association with the corporate affairs commission and their leaders are known and well educated to write this cheap letter. This is cheap blackmail and its in the interest of the southern Kaduna people to call their bluff.
On the other hand if they know they are holding any Fulani man hostage they should release them.

Contact them through support. So far as you have details and evidence of all your transactions I think they should be able to assist you.

General

Nigerian Army is not planning to attack any country-Army spokesman
By Ronald Mutum | Publish Date: Jan 12 2017 7:49PM
(0 Likes)

The Nigerian army on Thursday said it is not planning to attack any country as published on an online news website.


A statement from Army spokesman Brigadier General Sani Usman said the story title: “EXCLUSIVE: Nigeria raises troops for Gambia, ready to remove Yahya Jammeh,” is not true.

He said the Nigerian Army wishes to disassociate itself from such false information that exists only in the figment of the imagination of the medium.

Usman noted that there was no time or place Nigerian Army disclosed such information to the medium. If there is any, we challenge them to name the officer or soldier that gave them such information and when.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Nigerian Army is not planning to attack any country,” he added.

He said such reckless and unprofessional conduct is not expected of any reputable and responsible news medium as it is inimical to national security.

He added that the publication apart from being false in its entirety, it is unethical and capable of endangering the lives of Nigerians in diaspora.

He demanded that the medium always clarify such matters affecting national security and diplomatic issues that may endanger the safety and security of Nigerians abroad to avoid such misleading and embarrassing publication.

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/nigerian-army-is-not-planning-to-attack-any-country-army-spokesman/180461.html#3uAo5LjKdEfQcVxC.99

The Borno Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Tuesday said it had discovered ‘’Count down Timers’’ used by Boko Haram terrorists to detonate explosives.

The Commandant of the corps, Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi, disclosed this in Maiduguri in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Abdullahi said that the instruments were discovered by men of the Disaster Management Unit of the command at the scene of Sunday’s bomb blast in Kalari area of the state capital.

“The digital timer countdown displayed served the purpose of allowing the planter of bomb or suicide bomber to know the time to explode his Improvised Explosive Device.

“Since we now know what they are using; the security agencies would trace the roots of where these gadgets are coming from.

“To this end, we appeal to people to be vigilant and proactive in their respective environment.

“They should also assist the security agencies with relevant information to nip Boko Haram activities and other crimes in the bud, ” the commandant said. (NAN)
http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/how-nscdc-discovered-boko-haram-bomb-timers-in-maiduguri/180007.html

abike12:
I'm not an expert but for mine we used 9" for all the exterior walls and anywhere there was a pillar/column (I think) and 6" for the inside rooms, regardless of the floor level.

Thanks sister. I humbly appreciate your contribution.

Thanks sir. I was thinking that

mufutau55:
Sorry.. I miss this.
1. I will advise you to continue using the 9inches blocks because of the size of structural columns (pillars) and beams that may already put into the building.
But you can use the 6inches in some areas for partitions. If you are trying to save on cost, 6inches won't save you much money.

2. Sorry this is not easy to estimate because no building is the same. Calculation of the blocks will need the plan with all the measurements
readable on it. If you know how many blocks was used on the ground floor, you could estimate on the top floors.

Hajji M.

9" inches would add much weight particularly on the 2ft counter lever( not on original plan).
But obviously 9" inches blocks may provide a better sitting for the roof. Or what do you think?